riders of the purple sage-第25节

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emy　destroyed　them？　Had　disease　destroyed　them；　or　only　that　greatest　destroyertime？　Venters　saw　a　long　line　of　blood…red　hands　painted　low　down　upon　the　yellow　roof　of　stone。　Here　was　strange　portent；　if　not　an　answer　to　his　queries。　The　place　oppressed　him。　It　was　light；　but　full　of　a　transparent　gloom。　It　smelled　of　dust　and　musty　stone；　of　age　and　disuse。　It　was　sad。　It　was　solemn。　It　had　the　look　of　a　place　where　silence　had　become　master　and　was　now　irrevocable　and　terrible　and　could　not　be　broken。　Yet；　at　the　moment；　from　high　up　in　the　carved　crevices　of　the　arch；　floated　down　the　low；　strange　wail　of　winda　knell　indeed　for　all　that　had　gone。

Venters；　sighing；　gathered　up　an　armful　of　pottery；　such　pieces　as　he　thought　strong　enough　and　suitable　for　his　own　use；　and　bent　his　steps　toward　camp。　He　mounted　the　terrace　at　an　opposite　point　to　which　he　had　left。　He　saw　the　girl　looking　in　the　direction　he　had　gone。　His　footsteps　made　no　sound　in　the　deep　grass；　and　he　approached　close　without　her　being　aware　of　his　presence。　Whitie　lay　on　the　ground　near　where　she　sat；　and　he　manifested　the　usual　actions　of　welcome；　but　the　girl　did　not　notice　them。　She　seemed　to　be　oblivious　to　everything　near　at　hand。　She　made　a　pathetic　figure　drooping　there；　with　her　sunny　hair　contrasting　so　markedly　with　her　white；　wasted　cheeks　and　her　hands　listlessly　clasped　and　her　little　bare　feet　propped　in　the　framework　of　the　rude　seat。　Venters　could　have　sworn　and　laughed　in　one　breath　at　the　idea　of　the　connection　between　this　girl　and　Oldring's　Masked　Rider。　She　was　the　victim　of　more　than　accident　of　fatea　victim　to　some　deep　plot　the　mystery　of　which　burned　him。　As　he　stepped　forward　with　a　half…formed　thought　that　she　was　absorbed　in　watching　for　his　return；　she　turned　her　head　and　saw　him。　A　swift　start；　a　change　rather　than　rush　of　blood　under　her　white　cheeks；　a　flashing　of　big　eyes　that　fixed　their　glance　upon　him；　transformed　her　face　in　that　single　instant　of　turning；　and　he　knew　she　had　been　watching　for　him；　that　his　return　was　the　one　thing　in　her　mind。　She　did　not　smile；　she　did　not　flush；　she　did　not　look　glad。　All　these　would　have　meant　little　compared　to　her　indefinite　expression。　Venters　grasped　the　peculiar；　vivid；　vital　something　that　leaped　from　her　face。　It　was　as　if　she　had　been　in　a　dead；　hopeless　clamp　of　inaction　and　feeling；　and　had　been　suddenly　shot　through　and　through　with　quivering　animation。　Almost　it　was　as　if　she　had　returned　to　life。

And　Venters　thought　with　lightning　swiftness；　〃I've　saved　herI've　unlinked　her　from　that　old　lifeshe　was　watching　as　if　I　were　all　she　had　left　on　earthshe　belongs　to　me！〃　The　thought　was　startlingly　new。　Like　a　blow　it　was　in　an　unprepared　moment。　The　cheery　salutation　he　had　ready　for　her　died　unborn　and　he　tumbled　the　pieces　of　pottery　awkwardly　on　the　grass　while　some　unfamiliar；　deep…seated　emotion；　mixed　with　pity　and　glad　assurance　of　his　power　to　succor　her；　held　him　dumb。

〃What　a　load　you　had！〃　she　said。　〃Why；　they're　pots　and　crocks！　Where　did　you　get　them？〃

Venters　laid　down　his　rifle；　and；　filling　one　of　the　pots　from　his　canteen；　he　placed　it　on　the　smoldering　campfire。

〃Hope　it'll　hold　water；〃　he　said；　presently。　〃Why；　there's　an　enormous　cliff…dwelling　just　across　here。　I　got　the　pottery　there。　Don't　you　think　we　needed　something？　That　tin　cup　of　mine　has　served　to　make　tea；　broth；　soupeverything。〃

〃I　noticed　we　hadn't　a　great　deal　to　cook　in。〃

She　laughed。　It　was　the　first　time。　He　liked　that　laugh；　and　though　he　was　tempted　to　look　at　her；　he　did　not　want　to　show　his　surprise　or　his　pleasure。

〃Will　you　take　me　over　there；　and　all　around　in　the　valleypretty　soon；　　when　I'm　well？〃　she　added。

〃Indeed　I　shall。　It's　a　wonderful　place。　Rabbits　so　thick　you　can't　step　without　kicking　one　out。　And　quail；　beaver；　foxes；　wildcats。　We're　in　a　regular　den。　Buthaven't　you　ever　seen　a　cliff…dwelling？'

〃No。　I've　heard　about　them；　though。　Thethe　men　say　the　Pass　is　full　of　old　houses　and　ruins。〃

〃Why；　I　should　think　you'd　have　run　across　one　in　all　your　riding　around；〃　said　Venters。　He　spoke　slowly；　choosing　his　words　carefully；　and　he　essayed　a　perfectly　casual　manner；　and　pretended　to　be　busy　assorting　pieces　of　pottery。　She　must　have　no　cause　again　to　suffer　shame　for　curiosity　of　his。　Yet　never　in　all　his　days　had　he　been　so　eager　to　hear　the　details　of　anyone's　life

〃When　I　rodeI　rode　like　the　wind；〃　she　replied；　〃and　never　had　time　to　stop　for　anything。〃

〃I　remember　that　day　II　met　you　in　the　Passhow　dusty　you　were；　how　tired　your　horse　looked。　Were　you　always　riding？〃

〃Oh；　no。　Sometimes　not　for　months；　when　I　was　shut　up　in　the　cabin。〃

Venters　tried　to　subdue　a　hot　tingling。

〃You　were　shut　up；　then？〃　he　asked；　carelessly。

〃When　Oldring　went　away　on　his　long　tripshe　was　gone　for　months　sometimeshe　shut　me　up　in　the　cabin。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃Perhaps　to　keep　me　from　running　away。　I　always　threatened　that。　Mostly；　though；　because　the　men　got　drunk　at　the　villages。　But　they　were　always　good　to　me。　I　wasn't　afraid。〃

〃A　prisoner！　That　must　have　been　hard　on　you？〃

〃I　liked　that。　As　long　as　I　can　remember　I've　been　locked　up　there　at　times；　and　those　times　were　the　only　happy　ones　I　ever　had。　It's　a　big　cabin；　high　up　on　a　cliff；　and　I　could　look　out。　Then　I　had　dogs　and　pets　I　had　tamed；　and　books。　There　was　a　spring　inside；　and　food　stored；　and　the　men　brought　me　fresh　meat。　Once　I　was　there　one　whole　winter。〃

It　now　required　deliberation　on　Venters's　part　to　persist　in　his　unconcern　and　to　keep　at　work。　He　wanted　to　look　at　her；　to　volley　questions　at　her。

〃As　long　as　you　can　rememberyou've　lived　in　Deception　Pass？〃　he　went　on。

〃I've　a　dim　memory　of　some　other　place；　and　women　and　children；　but　I　can't　make　anything　of　it。　Sometimes　I　think　till　I'm　weary。〃

〃Then　you　can　readyou　have　books？〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　can　read；　and　write；　too；　pretty　well。　Oldring　is　educated。　He　taught　me；　and　years　ago　an　old　rustler　lived　with　us；　and　he　had　been　something　different　once。　He　was　always　teaching　me。〃

〃So　Oldring　takes　long　trips；〃　mused　Venters。　〃Do　you　know　where　he　goes？〃

〃No。　Every　year　he　drives　cattle　north　of　Sterlingthen　does　not　return　for　months。　I　heard　him　accused　once　of　living　two　livesand　he　killed　the　man。　That　was　at　Stone　Bridge。〃

Venters　dropped　his　apparent　task　and　looked　up　with　an　eagerness　he　no　longer　strove　to　hide。

〃Bess；〃　he　said；　using　her　name　for　the　first　time；　〃I　suspected　Oldring　was　something　besides　a　rustler。　Tell　me；　what's　his　purpose　here　in　the　Pass？　I　believe　much　that　he　has　done　was　to　hide　his　real　work　here。〃

〃You're　right。　He's　more　than　a　rustler。　In　fact；　as　the　men　say；　his　rustling　cattle　is　now　only　a　bluff。　There's　gold　in　the　canyons！〃

〃Ah！〃

〃Yes；　there's　gold；　not　in　great　quantities；　but　gold　enough　for　him　and　his　men。　They　wash　for　gold　week　in　and　week　out。　Then　they　drive　a　few　cattle　and　go　into　the　villages　to　drink　and　shoot　and　killto　bluff　the　riders。〃

〃Drive　a　few　cattle！　But；　Bess；　the　Withersteen　herd；　the　red　herd　twenty…five　hundred　head！　That's　not　a　few。　And　I　tracked　them　into　a　valley　near　here。〃

〃Oldring　never　stole　the　red　herd。　He　made　a　deal　with　Mormons。　The　riders　were　to　be　called　in；　and　Oldring　was　to　drive　the　herd　and　keep　it　till　a　certain　timeI　won't　know　whenthen　drive　it　back　to　the　range。　What　his　share　was　I　didn't　hear。〃

〃Did　you　hear　why　that　deal　was　made？〃　queried　Venters。

〃No。　But　it　was　a　trick　of　Mormons。　They're　full　of　tricks。　I've　heard　Oldring's　men　tell　about　Mormons。　Maybe　the　Withersteen　woman　wasn't　minding　her　halter！　I　saw　the　man　who　made　the　deal。　He　was　a　little；　queer…shaped　man；　all　humped　up。　He　sat　his　horse　well。　I　heard　one　of　our　men　say　afterward　there　was　no　better　rider　on　the　sage　than　this　fellow。　What　was　the　name？　I　forget。〃

〃Jerry　Card？〃　suggested　Venters。

〃That's　it。　I　rememberit's　a　name　easy　to　rememberand　Jerry　Card　appeared　to　be　on　fair　terms　with　Oldring's　men。〃

〃I　shouldn't　wonder；〃　replied　Venters；　thoughtfully。　Verification　of　his　suspicions　in　regard　to　Tull's　underhand　workfor　the　deal　with　Oldring　made　by　Jerry　Card　assuredly　had　its　inception　in　the　Mormon　Elder's　brain；　and　had　been　accomplished　through　his　ordersrevived　in　Venters　a　memory　of　hatred　that　had　been　smothered　by　press　of　other　emotions。　Only　a　few　days　had　elapsed　since　the　hour　of　his　encounter　with　Tull；　yet　they　had　been　forgotten　and　now　seemed　far　off；　and　the　interval　one　that　now　appeared　large　and　profound　with　incalculable　change　in　his　feelings。　Hatred　of　Tull　still　existed　in　his　heart；　but　it　had　lost　its　white　heat。　His　affection　for　Jane　Withersteen　had　not　changed　in　the　least；　nevertheless；　he　seemed　to　view　it　from　another　angle　and　see　it　as　another　thingwhat；　he　could　not　exactly　define。　The　recalling　of　these　two　feelings　was　to　Venters　like　getting　glimpses　into　a　self　that　was　gone；　and　the　wonder　of　themperhaps　the　change　which　was　too　illusive　for　himwas　the　fact　that　a　strange　irritation　accompanied　the　memory　and　a　desire　to　dismiss　it　from　mind。　And　straightway　he　did　dismiss　it；　to　return　to　thoughts　of　his　significant　present。

〃Bess；　tell　me　one　more　thi